HPK scored five goals in the second round against SaiPa. The last time in the Lappeenranta team’s home hall in Kisapuisto, the opponent scored five goals or more in one set, more than 21 years ago.
21:43•Updated 21:46
In the ice hockey SM league, in the evening round, SaiPa suffered an ugly defeat to HPK with 2–8 goals. HPK already led the match 8–1 after the second set.
– I apologize to everyone who came here. Our performance was nowhere near what was sought. I take responsibility for this, that we were not able to prepare the team in any way. I am very sorry to all the viewers, SaiPa head coach Ville Hämäläinen stated at the press conference.
Hämäläinen admitted that the team’s situation is quite difficult at the moment.
– There shouldn’t be any big crisis, but the coaching, team, players and guardians are all in the same boat. Tonight’s performance was unforgivable, Hämäläinen states.
The loss was series jumbo to SaiPa Fifth in a row. The current losing streak started with the ugliest defeat of the season a week and a half ago, when Ilves lost 8-1 in Tampere. Now came the ugliest home defeat of the season.
According to the head coach, the crushing loss will be handled “somehow.”
– When we have cooked this soup ourselves, it will certainly be handled in some way, Hämäläinen stated.
After the match, the doors to SaiPa’s locker room remained closed, and Puhee’s Jääkiekkiörske could not reach the team’s players for an interview.
They waved the pace stick from HPK Steve Moses power 1+3 and Jere Jokinen 0+4. Artturi Toivola scored two hits for Hämeenlinna.
The second set in particular was a nightmare for SaiPa. HPK forged five goals. The last time in the Lappeenranta team’s home hall in Kisapuisto, the opponent scored five goals or more in one set, more than 21 years ago.
The decision of the match was seen when SaiPa took a couple of ices at the beginning of the second period. HPK punished twice with superiority.
– After that came a mental breakdown and practically giving up. Under no circumstances should that happen, expert Juha Juujärvi commented on Puhe’s Ice Hockey tour.
HPK’s smashing continued when Rony Ahonen broke his streak of 162 matches without a goal in the SM league. The last time defender Ahonen managed to score was more than three years ago in October 2019.
Chilled in the middle of Steve Moses and Jere Jokinen Matti Järvinen believed that the game from HPK was one of the best of the season.
– Of course, the cold spells of the second set broke the spine on the other side. It was also great for us to get successes with superiority. It was a great job, Järvinen stated on Puhe.
HPK has had a difficult early season, but now the Hämeenlinna team has two wins in a row. On Saturday, there was a home win over KalPa in overtime. HPK rose from last place to 11th place. HPK is tied with HIFK in 10th place.